Est. 1892
Junior Section
Welcome to Weston-super-Mare Golf Club's Junior section page.
Everything from results of matches, competition results and general Junior messages.
We aim to make golf available to any young person less than 18 years of age in a safe and friendly environment. Whether you are a beginner or already experienced with a handicap the junior section can accommodate your needs.
We have a Junior Committee and Junior Captain. Tee times on the Course are reserved for both junior competitions and general play so that you can improve your handicap. There are also regular Club events in which juniors are encouraged to take part.
There is something for everyone; beginners and improvers have weekly coaching sessions with the Club Professional and a team of qualified Leaders and we provide equipment for all ages at these sessions. There is a League team for those more accomplished players - details of which appear further down this page.
So whether you just want to findout what golf is all about, or you are looking to develop your game on a championship Course, just give our Professional a call on 07809 243839 or email labandjm@btinternet.com and he will be only to pleased to discuss your requirements. With nearly 100 junior members you will soon be made most welcome and make good friends.
The Club is proud to be the first in Somerset to achieve the prestigious National 'Junior GolfMark Award'. The scheme evaluates and assesses three areas of a Clubs junior section namely, coaching & playing, Club environment, and child protection & duty of care.
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP
The Club wishes to encourage youngsters to take up golf and aims to make golf fun and readily accessible to any junior between 5 and 18 years old.
Joining the Juniors
Juniors with a handicap only need to contact the Club to get an application form, fill it in and return it. The junior will then be interviewed and the Club management committee will normally grant membership at its next meeting.
For beginners and juniors without a handicap they will first need to contact the Club Professional on 07809 243839 or email labandjm@btinternet.com and arrange to come to junior coaching. The junior can then go through the joining process above when the Professional says they are ready.
After the Club management has granted membership the Secretary will send all appropriate information to the junior together with a request for the membership fee (there is no joining fee).
Membership fees for 2008
Juniors U14 £25
Juniors U15 £35
Juniors U16 £50
Juniors U17 £75
Juniors U18 £100
Colts (over 18 & under 25) £230
All junior ages to be taken on 1st January
Any junior who keeps continuous membership and moves to a full playing member will not have to pay the adult Club joining fee.
COACHING
The main aim of the coaching is to teach all the skills and etiquette needed to become a junior member of the golf club and play golf on the main Course.
Where
All the coaching takes place on the practice ground at Weston super Mare GC. If you drive down Uphill Road North from the Golf Club's main entrance and turn into the village of Uphill, the practice ground is immediately on the right.
The Times
The coaching takes the form of 1-hour sessions, which in the summer are on a Wednesday, 5.00pm to 6.00pm and 6.00pm to 7.00pm. When the clocks change at the end of October the sessions move to a Saturday 2.00pm to 3.00pm and 3.00pm to 4.00pm. The earlier session is for the younger and new golfers and the later session is for the older juniors. Please contact the Professional to confirm the current times.
Equipment
If you are new to golf you don't need to buy clubs to get started. The junior section has clubs in different sizes for the coaching sessions, and if you become a junior member we may be able to provide you with cheap clubs to get started.
The Coaches
Mike La Band, the Club@s Head Professional, with the help of qualified "Golf Leaders", runs the sessions. The "Golf Leaders" are members of the Club and parents who have been through Golf Foundation training courses and passed all the necessary checks to make sure our young golfers have fun and stay safe.
The Sessions
The Golf Foundation is an organisation that promotes junior golf across the country. They run a scheme called the "Golf Passport" and it is around the passport skills and etiquette that our sessions are based.
During the sessions we could be in a line (group coaching) learning the skills needed to hit a golf ball. Smaller groups may break off and take part in short game practice, bunkers, putting or tee shots. Also the practice ground can be turned into a 4-hole Academy Course. It's while playing around this Course that many of the other skills and etiquette of the game are learnt. How to score, who's turn next, where to stand safely, some basic rules etc.
How to take part
For safety reasons there is a limit to the number of juniors we can have on the practice ground at the same time. Due to this limit and the popularity of the coaching, youngsters wishing to attend will need to register by calling Mike LaBand on 07809 243839 or email labandjm@btinternet.com (Please don't just turn up). We will make every effort to get everyone taking part, in the sessions as soon as possible.
JUNIOR LEAGUE TEAM
The team plays in the Somerset Junior Golf League - North Division. The format for this League is a match of eight players a side playing four ball better ball in pairs. Maximum Handicap. For boys is 28, for girls 36 playing off the white & red tees, boy juniors under 12 have a maximum Hcp. of 36 and play off the yellow tees.
The team has two Sponsors; Vince Frost from Stain Busters has provided windcheaters for the team, and Tim & Nicky Walker from Cecil Walker have provided the teams shirts. The team, which is managed by Dave & Sue Radcliffe with some eight other adults helping.
Occasionally we arrange some friendly matches with some of our nearest neighbouring Clubs, to give experience to other players.
WESTON JUNIOR COMPETITIONS (For members only)
KELLY CUP (stableford) - April
JUNIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (gross) & VICTORIA CUP (net) (medal) 36 holes - June
SUMMER KNOCK OUT (Individual match play)
ERSKINE POLLOCK CUP (stableford) - August
PUTTING CHAMPIONSHIP - August
WEE WONDERS - For beginners without a handicap (How far they get with 30 shots) - August
PICTON DAVIES TROPHY (medal) - October
WINTER KNOCK OUT (Individual match play)
Playing members with any handicap are welcome to play - Entry is by writing your name on the entry sheet, which has the available Tee times on the Junior Notice Board. The entry fee is £2.
CLUB JUNIOR OPEN COMPETITION
UPHILL TROPHY (medal) - 27 April
JUNIOR FRIENDLY MATCHES AGAINST: -
ELWYNN GRIFFITHS SELECT (Individual match play) - February
CLUB LADIES & SENIORS TEAMS (Individual match play) - August
JUNIOR LEAGUE MATCHES
Matches, from March to August, against various local clubs on a home and away basis
PRESIDENTS CUP (team of 8 - singles match play Versus Worlebury) - September
PLUS INVITATIONS TO EXTERNAL COMPETITIONS FOR TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS
There is a cupboard situated outside the Men's Changing Rooms, for Juniors where loan golf videos and books are available
